الرئيسية
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki issued an open invitation for US firms
to help rebuild Iraq Tuesday, as his oil-rich nation closes the door on a
nearly nine-year American military presence.
Hailing a new stage
in the country's history, Maliki declared his war-scarred nation was
ready to construct a new economy, one that holds "limitless"
opportunities for US firms.
"It is not now the generals but the
businessmen and the corporations that are at the forefront" of Iraq's
future, he told a business gathering just steps from the White House.
"Circumstances
have improved because of better security," said Maliki, playing the
role of salesman-in-chief for an economy that was ravaged by
authoritarian rule and multilateral sanctions even before the war began
in 2003.
"We are not satisfied with the number of US corporations
in Iraq," he added. "All sectors of the economy are there, open for
business for American business."
On the list of sectors open to business, oil will be first among equals.
With
massive proven reserves of 115 billion barrels of oil, the fourth
largest in the world -- much of it untapped -- foreign oil companies are
girding to return to the country.
Output today is around 2.5 million barrels per day, but that rate could be nearly doubled by 2016, according to oil cartel OPEC.
to help rebuild Iraq Tuesday, as his oil-rich nation closes the door on a
nearly nine-year American military presence.
Hailing a new stage
in the country's history, Maliki declared his war-scarred nation was
ready to construct a new economy, one that holds "limitless"
opportunities for US firms.
"It is not now the generals but the
businessmen and the corporations that are at the forefront" of Iraq's
future, he told a business gathering just steps from the White House.
"Circumstances
have improved because of better security," said Maliki, playing the
role of salesman-in-chief for an economy that was ravaged by
authoritarian rule and multilateral sanctions even before the war began
in 2003.
"We are not satisfied with the number of US corporations
in Iraq," he added. "All sectors of the economy are there, open for
business for American business."
On the list of sectors open to business, oil will be first among equals.
With
massive proven reserves of 115 billion barrels of oil, the fourth
largest in the world -- much of it untapped -- foreign oil companies are
girding to return to the country.
Output today is around 2.5 million barrels per day, but that rate could be nearly doubled by 2016, according to oil cartel OPEC.